A soldier attempts to head home while stuck in the middle of a war in this very emotional South African film.

In 1981, Henk Viljoen has joined the South African Defense Forces, also known as the RECCEs. Much to the chagrin of his wife Nicola, Henk is given a new mission that will take him in the middle of the border war with Angola. Nicola is pregnant and expects Henk to be there when she has the baby. Upon his arrival to the area, Henk is given the task to go on a mission to kill a Soviet soldier across the border. However, Henk begins to realize what he’s about to be in for.

Henk soon finds himself going from the hunter to being the hunted. En route to get out of Angola, he is beaten down and interrogated. However, he eventually makes his escape, but is shot in the stomach. With no word, the SADC declare Henk killed in action. With Nicola grieving as his parents as well, they are convinced Henk will not be coming back. However, Henk, still alive, intends to get back to South Africa come hell or high water to show he is still alive and well.

What has the look of a biopic is anything but that. This is an ode to those who have served during the Angola Border War with writer/director Johannes Ferdinand van Zyl offering a look at both sides of the spectrum when it comes to the dangers and harsh realities of war. We see the side of the South African Defense Forces soldier who is desperately trying to make his way home after a solo dangerous mission and the side of his family who are affected by the perils of the war.

Greg Kriek is excellent in the role of the titular RECCE, Henk Viljoen. He is one committed to the military, despite knowing how much it will affect his relationship with his wife Nicola. However, upon learning the mission, Henk is at first hesitant, especially when he learns he must do it all virtually alone with little contact. Of course, this will bring a sense of predictability in terms of what will happen in the film. However, to see him struggling to get back home is quite a journey worth watching, especially when he has dreams of his happiness with Nicola.

Christia Visser turns up the emotions as Nicola, Henk’s suffering wife. It is bad enough she is angry with him for his commitment to the “job” and not enough on his family. She lets the emotions out when she learns Henk is killed in action, which brings her to her in-laws. There, it even gets more emotional when we learn Henk’s dad, played by Die Pro’s Albert Maritz, was a former soldier who never would imagine his son would follow in his footsteps, even proclaiming he would rather have a son in jail than one killed in the military.

The film brings into play the fact that there is no real protagonist and antagonist, as the interrogator even asks Henk at one point, “if we are not your enemy, then why do you rain down on my people?” This is a very bold and true statement from the other side. There is also a very powerful scene where even the higher-ups question whether they made the right decision. The Gods Must Be Crazy’s Marius Weyers as a somewhat sympathetic higher-up while Maurice Carpede plays an Angolan assassin who wants to ensure they get the area and learns of Henk being in the area.

The Recce is an emotionally driven look at the horrors and realities of the Angolan Border War with little shades of seeing the point of views from the South African Defense Forces, their families, and bits from the opposition. Greg Kriek and Christia Visser are excellent in their roles and there is great support from the likes of Maurice Carpede and Marius Weyers among others. The finale is quite a shock and not what you expect as well. Definitely one to give a chance to seeing.

WFG RATING: B+

Gravel Road presents a Man Makes a Picture production. Director: Johannes Ferdinand van Zyl. Producer: Jac Williams. Writer: Johannes Ferdinand van Zyl. Cinematography: Jacques van Tonder. Editing: Jacques le Roux, Johannes Ferdinand van Zyl, and Ronelle Loots.

Cast: Greg Kriek, Christia Visser,  Marius Weyers, Grant Swanby, Maurice Carpede, Albert Maritz, Elsabé Daneel.